NightBlogger

When Prince Charles claimed thousands of Indian farmers were killing themselves after using GM crops, he was branded a scaremonger. In fact, as this chilling dispatch reveals, it’s even WORSE than he feared. The crisis, branded the ‘GM Genocide’ by campaigners, was highlighted recently when Prince Charles claimed that the issue of GM had become a ‘global moral question’ - and the time had come to end its unstoppable march. More

Telegraph.co.uk
The harvest has been worst hit in the North East, especially Northumberland, North Yorkshire and Co Durham, where the heavy rainfall and flooding have meant that on many farms less than 50 per cent of the wheat has been harvested. Farmers could lose as much as £30,000 each because much of the grain in the soil is suitable only for animal feed, with the price of this particular grain dropping from £120 to £100 a tonne in a month - best milling wheat is valued at £140 to £150 a tonne. Hilary Benn, the Rural Affairs Secretary, is expected to allow special exemption for farmers to salvage what is left of their crops by using heavy machinery on the wet fields. More

FARMERS and activists from around the world have gathered in Japan to protest soaring food prices, kicking off a major rally ahead of next week’s summit of the G8 nations. Thousands of people are expected to take part in today’s protest amid tight security, with some 21,000 police officers on guard near Toyako, the northern Japanese lakeside resort where world leaders will meet from Monday. More

LANSING, Mich. — Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm requested Monday federal disaster assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for farmers in 55 Michigan counties who are facing vegetable and other frost-sensitive crop losses from several severe spring frosts and freezes. The request was based on a 30 percent or more in loss estimates, calculated locally in each county. “Michigan agriculture is a multibillion dollar, job-creating industry that is critical to Michigan’s economy,” said Granholm in a written statement. “This disaster declaration is a vital first step to ensuring that Michigan farmers have the additional resources they need to overcome these natural disasters.” More

Photo courtesy of StormyDog

As farmers confront mounting costs and riots erupt from Haiti to Egypt over food, farmers pay the price for Wall Street’s speculation in grain markets. “It’s the best of times for somebody speculating on grain prices, but it’s not the best of times for farmers. The demand for futures exceeds the demand for cash grains.” Commodity investors control more U.S. crops than ever before, competing with governments and consumers for dwindling food supplies. Demand is rising with population and income gains in Asia, while record energy costs boost biofuels consumption, sending grain inventories to the lowest levels in two decades.
Read more